The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-01
Villas ANNUAL REPORT.
CHEAPER POSTAGE NOT ADvIS-
ABLE YET.

are some of the most prominent features of
the Postmaster Generals report: 1t may be
fairly affirmed that from the beginning of
the current fiscal year the postal service
has again become substantially self-sustain-
ing; and the prediction be ventured that if
the revenues be not further crippled, and
only similar ratio of increasing expendi-
ture be held, the next fiscal year will yield
a surplus, which should, under the same
conditions, annually increase. In this
promising condition special interests may
be expected to vigorously press for reduc-
ton in rates of postage in some class of mail
matter, always of specious appearance OF
popularity; indeed, their organization for
the Improvement of the postal service IS
already begun; but the general interest viii
perhaps rather require that a reduction OF the
rates of postage shall be deferred to some
what later period. The time IS probably
not distant when, if the wisest measures Of
economy be pursued, the rate Of charge
upon letters can be properly lowered TO lc.
an ounce. and some diminishmeat permitted
in the hostages upon merchandise and other
matter But the letter postage OF the
United States is now fixed at a rate below
that of all other countries save one, and,
when the distances of transportation are con-
sidered, is cheaper than in any other. And
the combined receipts from all mail matter
not of the first class fall far short of the
cost of its handling, affording little claim,
there fore, for less postage charges.
sALARIED POST OFFICES.
The prosperity of the service is the pros
perity of the post offices and the gains or
the year are marked in their advancement.
The number of salaried offices at its begin
ming was, Of the first class, Is; of the sec
4 a .F4 \, ..1 I fnfg IF
2244 of the Presidential classes And on
Oct l there were added to the third class ~
offices by assignment pursuant to law;
thus making the total rumber of the third
class at the time of this report, 1854, and
of all Presidential Offices, 2,3Sl; the highest
yet reached in the history Of the Depart
lnent.
The fourth class comprised on July
52.s2l offices, the number having increased
during the year by 1,543-the establish
ments having been 3,0i3, and the discontin-
uancss J, 500 The new offices were 439 less
than the previous year. the number of that
year being unusually large because of an
accumulation of undisposed-of applications
from the former year.
The whole number of post Offices on Oct.
] had become S. 4s4, of which 2,3Sl were
salaried or Presidential offices, distributed
in classes as before mentioned and 53,053
were fourth class offices. Besides these
were G2j branch offices or stations, an in
crease of II for the sale of stamps only.
OF the whole, S,0S9 were money order offices
and 10 money order stations.
PosTMAsTERs APPOINTED.
The appointments of postmasters num-
bered altogether during the fiscal year 49,
019 of which 6,S63 were to fill vacancies
happening upon the expiration of commits
siOns or by designations; Z, 5S4 upon re-
movals or suspensions; $50 by death ,hnd
3,043 TO newly established Offices. Among
these appointments S.l3 were upon your
commi sion TO vacancies which happened
from the causes and in the respective num-
bers following: By expiration of commits
sion, $50; by resignation, 122; by removal
or suspension, 237; by death, 49, and upon
the assignment Of fourth-class offices to a
presidential class, 145.
The following figures show the number of
changes made in Presidential post offices by
MIR. Cleveland up to Oct. l.
The entire number Of Presidential post
Offices was...........-......... $3.50
OF these. have beeen discontinued .
And relegated to fourth class .........16 5-- 1870
Leaving a remainder Of. ..................2,1l9
The following statement shows the com
perative status of the incumbents of these
offices at the end of the fiscal year, so far as
disclosed BY number and time of appoint
New appointments. on expiration OF COM
New appointments, on voluntary resigna
tons. .............. ...., ............... AS
New appointments, on suspensions or re-
movals ................ Observation-Disclosures. 492
Reappointments, on expiration of commits
Remaining under former commissions. 49,. ais
2,149
On March Z, 1885, the entire number of
the fourth-class offices was 1901 The new
establishments since have been $780, of
wifi h "a in the fiscal year 1885, 3,4S2 in
1886, and 3,043 in 1887; and the discontin-
uances in the corresponding periods were
70, ,120, and 1900, respectively, total of
1852, besides net addition to the PreSiden-
tial classes of 103, leaving the number in the
fourth class on July /, last, as stated, So 1921.
In all these offices the total number of APP
pointments have been 30, 252 The number
of fourth-class postmasters remaining in
Office who were in Office when the present
administration came in is l8,49l
THE MONEY ORDER SERVICE.
The money order service continued to in
crease in volume during the past year, the
amount in the aggregate of domestic orders
issued reaching $117, 1852 $50 SO, and of iu-
ternational orders So, OBS, $50 81: 3.2 per
centum of increase over the preceding year
in domestic orders, and $3.50 per cent. in
foreign. The aggregate of postal notes
issued was Sll, 76S, S24 81, an increase of but
$780, l4 70. The reduction of the fee from
Sc to Sc. for domestic money orders not
exceeding s., pursuant to the recommends
ton of two years ago, has operated to in
crease the use of this service to the remit
tiers of small sums in a noticeable degree.
The average amount of each order issued
last year was but Sl2 " as against an
average of $l4 80 in 1886. and larger sums
in previous years. This is also indicated by
the increase of 1927 per cent. in the number
of orders issued, and by the small increase
in the use of postal notes. In like manner
the reduction of the fee for foreign orders
operated an enlarged use of them, amount
ing to "a " per cent. in number
MAIL MATTER HANDLED BY CARRIERS
The report of the First Assistant Post
master General presents interesting Stats
tics of the growth of the year, of which the
following are specially noteworthy. There
was increase in the whole number of pieces
of mail matter handled by carriers of A. 16
per cent, or 2S5, 044, 057 pieces, the aggre-
gate reaching 2, 234 ,564, $3.50, the gain being
in every class of mail matter, and in the fol-
lowing percentages, respectively: in deliv
cries of mail letters, 1913; of mail postal
cards, LAB; of registered letters, s. IS; of
newspapers, 1406; of local letters, 20 10,
and local postal cards, Is II in collection of
letters, 16 Is; of postal cards, 1882, and of